This book said it was a mystery adventure.  Adventure, yes. Mystery, no.  As an avid mystery reader, I would never put this book in that genre.  I'm not criticizing because I enjoyed the book, I'm just saying.  I would put it firmly in the literary or coming-of-age genres.

The book is the story of 5 British young people who meet each other for the first time on the way to Woodstock.  They each are carrying their own secrets and pains as everyone does and these secrets and pains are what brought each person to Woodstock in the first place.  I'm not a fan of the Woodstock or hippie mentality and this didn't story didn't change my opinions on that.  Again, not criticizing, just commenting.  These 5 people are bonded together for life because of their experiences there and their trip afterwards to Greece which has life altering consequences for all 5. We end up with the consequences of all this 20 years later.

Trying to describe the plot would make it sound really hokey and a few parts of it were.  The idea that all 5 kids have the ability and time to just take off for Greece on holiday was very contrived.  I think the author wanted to be able to work in the idea of myths and felt he needed the Greek setting to do so.  The myths the title refers to, however, are not Greek, they are the ones that people tell themselves about life.

The story is non-linear. There are continual flashbacks.  I know this annoys some readers so I wanted to mention it.  It does take a little concentration to know where you are in time.

To sum it up,this is an unusual book, well-written and interesting.  I would be interested to know what this author comes up with next.

I received this book from author through librarything and I appreciated the opportunity to read and review it.

The story, or rather stories, takes place in the US, England, and Greece during the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Five English students cross paths at Woodstock, then something big happens to them (each of them are affected personally), they part ways and occasionally run into each other again several times throughout the years at several different locations. There is a central mystery that brings these five characters together repeatedly. I can't say what it is or even hint at it because--this is the only time you'll ever hear me say it--the fun is in not really knowing what it is... until the end, that is. You'll find out at the end. (Don't visit the Amazon book page if you don't want to be spoiled.)

"But how is that mythic?" asked a bunch of people who wanted to know what I was reading on break and on the light rail.

The modern day events echo mythological tropes.

The myths in the story refer to classic/canonized mythology--think Joseph Campbell--that serve as backdrop to the modern day stories. The mythic aspect of the stories comes in the form of interweaving the past and present together to tell a story (with multiple subplots) and piece together a mystery. So of course there is time travel, but it's not convoluted, which is a testament to the narration.

The mystery is pretty good, and that's the reason most people are drawn to this book, but for me, it was the writing that held my attention.

The only thing that keeps this book from a 5-star rating is the beginning. It was slow to start and didn't hold my interest much. I didn't become invested until near the end.

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Must admit it was the cover that drew my attention to this book and made me enter the giveaway, of which I won a signed copy.